Because believers in Colosse encountered opposition to the gospel, Paul wrote this letter to encourage, uplift, and enlighten them. Paul reminds these believers they have all they need in Christ.

Faith and Hope

Faith and love spring from knowing Christ. Due to their hope in heaven, the Colossians spread the gospel to the glory of God. Paul’s desires for them is to have full and clear knowledge of God’s will – amazing and wonderful for us too!

He writes them in vivid excitement . . . we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things (Colossians 1:9 Amplified Bible).

How To Please God

A believer’s life is to be a stunning example of the power of Christ. Yes, spiritual growth and knowing God are available.

. . . so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:10-12 NIV).

Here is a summary of what Paul says believers have and must do.

Live a life worthy of the Lord
Please him in every way

Bear fruit in every good work
Grow in the knowledge of God

Be strengthened with all power,
Have endurance and patience

Give joyful thanks to the Father who rescued us
Share in the inheritance of the kingdom of light

Throughout the letter to the Philippians, Paul encourages believers in Philippi to keep spreading the gospel and helping people. He mentions his gratefulness – he too was a beneficiary of their generosity.

Excellent Thinking

Paul runs off a mind stretching list on how to think . . . Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8 New Living Bible).

These transformational words get us to the heart of how Jesus thinks! Yes, present tense. Jesus is alive and we are to be imitators of him. Believers need to keep in mind that we can do all things through Christ’s strength – Christ in us!

He’s Our Source

Believers should acknowledge God is our source, our foundation, and provider. Paul speaks to all believers when he says . . . my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19 Amplified Bible). This is not a sprinkling can output – it’s like a geyser flowing to meet all our needs. Jesus is our source and always will be so. Selah.

Prayer: Father, you’ve made it plain, help me to see how I should think daily. I want to honor you.

Questions: Paul’s list here is a positive one. How can you fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable . . . things that are excellent and worthy of praise? Do you remember Philippians 4:13? That’s how!

Praise and rejoicing resound throughout the letter to the Philippians. He rejoices for new believers spreading the good news.

Always Pray

We too should always rejoice in the Lord. Paul says, I never tire of saying it: Rejoice! Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything (Philippians 4:4b-6 The Voice).

People around us watch as we encounter challenges, problems, as well as the good things in our lives. Paul encourages believers that our walk with Jesus should be evident, he is with us all day long, so take on Christ’s character. We live for him.

Talk with Him

God wants to hear our requests. But . . .This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply (Matthew 6:8 The Message). Wow.

The key here is he is with us and knows us (inside out)! So we’re not bothering him when we talk with him. The Father wants conversation with us. Likewise we must take his advice as we learn of him and read his Word.

What do we gain from asking God or talking with God? He will give . . . the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One (Philippians 4:7 The Voice).

Prayer: Father, thank you for being so near and wanting to hear from us. Help me to ask for needs as you showed the disciples in the simple prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer.

Questions:

When you encounter difficult times or challenges, how do you change anxiety into joy?

In the beginning of this chapter, Paul encourages the believers to live up to what they have attained in Christ. He states boldly, follow his example of a Christlike life – dedicated to following Jesus in everything.

In Christ

Paul has reason to be proud with his genealogy, education, and practice of all the required rituals of Judaism. But he counts all these as nothing compared to having Jesus Christ as his Lord.

For believers to mature in Christ:

They must become one with Christ

They must trust Christ for salvation

They must get to know Jesus personally

Paul’s Desires

Paul continues with astonishing declarations of his own desires . . . that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:8-11).

In this Paul reveals how much we need to mature in Christ. Meditate on these verses. Selah.

He continues . . . we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control (Philippians 3:20,21 New Living Translation).

We wait as citizens of heaven. We are citizens from the moment we believe in Christ! Powerful. What a hope and position we have in Jesus.

Prayer: Father, help know you more.

Questions: Does the experience Paul desires seem possible for you? Have you thought of your citizenship as a spiritual one? What would help you attain a powerful relationship with Jesus?

Paul encouraged the Philippians. He reminded them of the love of Christ and his (Jesus’) position with God the Father. Paul establishes that Jesus is the one to be exalted – the believer’s task is to develop a Christlike lifestyle.

The Exalted One

Paul jumps right in to tell believers that Jesus holds a special place with God—highly exalted. This is serious stuff.

Because of that [Jesus’] obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11 The Message).

Two other scriptures state that every knee will bow at the mention of Jesus’ name (Romans 14:11 and Isaiah 45:22-24). Paul expands the enormity of the power of Jesus’ name—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth!

… at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11 New American Standard Bible).

Jesus’ name will bring glory to the Father.

Prayer: Father, yes we exalt Jesus and give you praise for all you have done.

Questions: What do you think when you hear “the name of Jesus”? Does it make you even more serious about God when you realize how important the name of Jesus will be in the end times?